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ATLANTA -- Using mixed modes of feeding during an infant's first 6 months may pose a higher risk for food allergy in early childhood, researchers reported here.
According to results from a prospective birth cohort, infants who were fed through a combination of direct breastfeeding, pumping and breast milk feeding, and formula feeding had a higher chance of developing food allergy symptoms (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.09- 2.25) compared with those who direct breastfed only, reported Joacy Mathias, a doctoral graduate research assistant at the University of Memphis, and colleagues.
Action Points
- Note that this study was published as an abstract and presented at a conference. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
"Recent studies have suggested a protective effect of breastfeeding on food allergies, but they don't differentiate between the complex patterns involved when a mother is feeding a child," Mathias explained to 鶹ý at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting. "We found that symptomatic children who were exposed to mixed feeding practice had 50% increased levels when compared to mothers who practiced direct at the breast feeding."
It is possible that too much exposure to a variety of antigens is a risk factor for food allergy, Mathias added.
Mathias' group studied pregnant women from the conducted by the CDC and the FDA.
Mothers were surveyed via questionnaires about their feeding practices for the first 12 months of their child's life, followed by a follow-up survey conducted when the child turned 6-years-old.
Data regarding the feeding practices were collected on a monthly interval basis for the first year of the child's life, while information related to food allergy was collected at 4, 9, 12 months, and 6 years.
Mathias' group found that the prevalence of food allergy symptoms and doctors' diagnosed food allergy were 9%, 8%, 8%, and 8% and 1%, 1%, 2%, and 1%, respectively, at the four time points.
Although mixed methods of feeding had an effect on whether or not the infant had food allergy symptoms, children who were fed through various methods did not tend to have more clinically diagnosed food allergies.
, of Northeast Georgia Physicians Group in Braselton, commented that he was not surprised by the survey-based findings because people are more likely to self diagnose with a food allergy.
Mathias noted that one explanation could be that only 18% to 37% of children who showed food allergy symptoms were taken to a doctor.
The results also suggested that having a father or mother with food allergies increased a child's risk of developing them (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.19-2.09; RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.88-1.67), with paternal food allergy posing a significantly higher risk.
According to Mathias, there are still multiple gaps in understanding the mechanisms of food allergies among infants.
More studies should focus on looking at the complex practices that a mother uses when breastfeeding her infant, she explained to 鶹ý.
Nish, who was not involved in the study, said he would like to see future studies on the topic, specifically in regards to breast milk versus formula.
"It would be interesting if the researchers had split it out into a group that was breastfed, then a group that was breastfed and pumped, and a group that breastfed and formula fed, and a group that was pumped and formula fed," he told 鶹ý. "If they didn't break it down to who was on formula, and we don't know the subgroups within the study, then the results may be attributed to being on formula because we know that breast milk is more hypoallergenic compared with formula."
Disclosures
Mathias and co-authors disclosed no relevant relationships with industry.
Primary Source
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Mathias J, et al "Mixed infant feeding - direct breastfeeding, pumping and feeding, and formula food poses a risk for food allergy in early childhood" AAAAI 2017; Poster L32.